Sea Change for the Hauraki Gulf

The Hauraki Gulf is a globally significant hotspot for biodiversity, but it is under threat. Auckland’s growing population will only make matters worse through increased pollution and overfishing. Forest & Bird is calling on the New Zealand Government to save the Hauraki Gulf.

Waters that once shimmered with vast schools of trevally and snapper, and reefs that bristled with crayfish, are now overfished. Bottom trawling continues to destroy the seabed, leaving behind an underwater desert. Every time it rains, sewage, heavy metals and mud flow into the gulf from our cities, farms, and industries, making it unswimmable for humans and increasingly harmful to the wildlife that lives in it. With a rapidly growing population, we urgently need better ways of managing our impact on the marine environment.

We must act now to save the Hauraki Gulf

The good news is we already know what to do. There is a plan to restore the life and health of the Gulf. It’s called Sea Change - Tai Timu Tai Pari. Forest & Bird is going to make sure the Sea Change plan is turned into action, but we can’t do it alone. We need your voice.

The Sea Change plan is the first of its kind in New Zealand. It addresses the range of issues facing the Hauraki Gulf, including the need to improve water quality, better manage our fishing and protect our marine environment. It's the product of many voices, including mana whenua, fishing, conservation and community. But a plan sitting on a shelf won’t help the Hauraki Gulf.

Together, we must persuade the Government to put Sea Change into action, now.

What can you do

Join the campaign and share this page on social media using our #savethehaurakigulf hashtag.

Download and print our Sea Change poster or fliers to display at your local library, café, or community hotspot.